Understanding Disorders

Definition of Mental Disorders: Mental disorders are usually characterised by a combination of abnormal thoughts, perceptions, emotions, behaviour, and interactions with others.
Classification of Disorders: The DSM-5 and ICD-10 are the most commonly used systems for diagnosing and classifying mental health disorders.
Depression: A common mood disorder characterised by prolonged feelings of sadness and loss of interest in daily activities.
Anxiety: Persistent and excessive worry about everyday situations that is difficult to control and interferes with daily activities.
Schizophrenia: A chronic and severe mental disorder that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. Symptoms may include delusions, hallucinations, and disorganised speech.

Cultural Relativism: Suggests that what is considered ‘normal’ or ‘abnormal’ depends on cultural context.
Statistical Deviation: Defines ‘abnormality’ as behaviour that is statistically infrequent.
Maladaptiveness: Behaviour can also be seen as ‘abnormal’ if it prevents an individual from functioning effectively in daily life.

Psychodynamic Explanations: Suggest that mental disorders stem from unresolved conflicts of childhood which cause anxiety in adulthood.
Cognitive Explanations: Propose that mental disorders are a result of dysfunctional or irrational thoughts and beliefs.
Behavioural Explanations: These attribute mental disorders to learned behaviours, either through classical conditioning, operant conditioning, or observational learning.
Biological Explanitions: Suggest that neurochemical imbalances, genetic factors, and brain abnormalities contribute to the development of mental disorders.

Psychotherapy: This involves talking about conditions and related issues with a mental health professional. It can be done individually, as a family or in a group.
Pharmacotherapy: The use of drugs to manage or reduce the symptoms of a mental health disorder.
Cognitive-behavioural Therapy (CBT): A form of psychotherapy that helps individuals change patterns of thinking or behaviour that lead to their problems.
Alternative and Holistic Therapies: These can include art therapy, acupuncture, yoga, and mindfulness practise, and aim to treat the whole person—body, mind, and spirit.